Thursday, June 9, 2011

I have the terrible habit of watching movie trailers way before they premiere only to get anxious for months (depending on the movie it arrives here in Brazil months after their premiere in the U.S.). I know it’s self- inflicted pain, but I cannot help it. Luckily there are times when things can be done to ease the anxiety a little: I got so blown away by “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” trailer that I began reading the book the day after that.
Just like these tartlets: I saw the recipe last Friday and baked them on Saturday morning. :)

For the pastry, place the flour and sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and process in short bursts until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and the water. With the motor running, add egg water mixture and process just until the dough comes together.
Turn it onto a large piece of plastic wrap, form into a disk and wrap well. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.
For the frangipane, beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Crack the eggs into the bowl one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the ground almonds and mix well until combined. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F; lightly butter eight 8cm tartlet pans with removable bottoms. Roll dough thinly between two sheets of lightly floured baking paper – if dough gets too soft, refrigerate for 5 minutes. Line each tartlet pan with the dough and trim away any excess; prick the dough all over with a small fork and place the pans on a baking sheet.
Spoon the frangipane into the tart cases so that it comes about halfway up the sides**. Smooth over the surface with a spatula and cover the frangipane evenly with the plums.
Bake for 20-25minutes or until the pastry is crisp, filling is golden and the fruit is tender.
Remove the tartlets from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with whipped cream.

* I sliced each plum into sixteenths, so the slices would be thinner and more delicate; 3 plums were enough for 2/3 of this recipe
** there was ¼ cup of frangipane left, and I was very generous filling the tartlet cases with it

Makes 8 tartlets – I made 2/3 of the recipe above, used 9cm tartlet pans and got 12 tartlets

Hi Patricia, I've been following your blog for a few months now and your desserts always look amazing! I haven't seen the Millenium films yet but I stayed up all night to finish each book as I read it. (As they were published - not back to back!) I hope you enjoy them.